Dredger and excavator.



W, A. HUELSDONK. DREDGER AND EXUAVATOB. APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1908.

Patented May 11, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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DREDGER AND EXGAVATOB. PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP 8- 921,252 Patented Ma 11 1909.

WILLIAM A. HUELSDON K, OF JOLON, CALIFORNIA.

DREDGER AND EXCAVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1909.

Application filed July 14, 1908. Serial No. 443,411.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. HUELS- DONK, citizen of the United States, l-zsiding at J olon, in the county of M onterey and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dredgers and Excavators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dredging and ex cavating apparatus, and pertains especially to gold dredger and excavator, and mechanism whereby the barge or other support on which the excavating apparatus is built may be adjusted and elevated, so that concentrators can be operated on the same.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination. of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly sectioned, of the dredger. Fig. 2 is a plan, sectioned along line ma: of Fig. 1, of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of-ladder 17. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of member 19. Fig. 5 is a detail of sheaves. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of turning table and bearings connected with it.

A re resents a barge or other suitable support any appropriate size, shape or construction. 1

Under the modern system of mining by dredgers, it is common to mount the excavating a paratus on a barge, as here shown, and to ii oat this barge in a body of water, elevating the material, and then running it off to land, where the concentrators are usually mounted, it being absolutely essential to successful concentration that the concentrators be maintained on a fixed level.

l/Vhile I employ a barge, where a barge is needed, or applicable, I also devised means by which my concentrator has been mounted direct upon the barge, and the recess of concentration successfully carrie( on upon the barge in juxtaposition to the excavating means. To this end I mount at each corner of the barge a vertical spud 2 running in suitable ides 3 on the frame, and each spud has a rac 4 enga ing a gear 5 which is actuated through suitable connections from the handwheel 6. The lower end of the spud is preferably enlarged considerably, as indicated at 7, so that a broad foot-piece is provided for each spud, and which foot-piece 1s adapted to rest on the bed rock and to sustain its share of the load.

W hen the barge is located in suitable position for the dredging operations, shortly to be described, the spuds are run down and the hand -wheel 6 operated until the barge is practically supported on the spuds. The gearing of the hand-wheel 6 is such that a man can easily turn. the latter and raise or lower that ortion of the apparatus until the barge is ovcl, so that the concentrators, which are represented at 8, are properly adjusted so as to perform their functions in the desired manner. The material for the concentrators is delivered by the buckets 9 on to a sluice 10, thence successively on to the screens 11 and 12; the tailings being discharged at the rear by the tailings dump 13.

The excavating buckets 9 are of any suitable type, and mounted on the endless chain convcyer 14 which travels over the upper and lower sprockets 1516 carried on the ladder 17. This ladder is suitably mounted for adjustment u ward or dmvnward to any elevation, and a so to any inclination, and is also adapted to swing from side to side, so as to excavate in an arc across the bow of the dredger. These various adjustments and means for operating the excavating apparatus conjunctively with the concentrating devices and delivery means, and the means for elevating the barge and concentrators, therefore constitute the essential features of the present invention.

The top of the ladder 17 is hung by the top bearing shaft 18 in a radius frame 19 which is journaled to swing about a universal head mounted on the supporting timbers 20 on the barge. As here shown, this radius frame 19 is journaled at its inner end on sleeves 21, Fig. 6, said sleeves forming bearings for the drive-shaft 22. These sleeves are mounted on the turn-table casting 23, which casting has a hub 24 turning in a fixed bearing 25 on the frame timbers 20. The hub 24 forms a bearing for the vertical shaft 26, the upper end of which shaft carries the bevel gear 27 meshing a corresponding gear 28 on the shaft 22. Shaft 26 is stepped at its lower end in a suitable bearing 29 and carries a bevel gear 30 meshing a corresponding gear 31 on shaft 32, which latter receives motion from any suitable source of power, as the engine 33 and belt connections 34. Shaft 22 carries a ill sprocket by which a chain 36 transmits motion to the shaft 1% to operate the exervating buckets 9 in the desired nmuncr.

The lower end of the ladder i? is adjustnbly supported from the hanger 37 by suitable menus, as the line or cable It, whi h latter is suitably rove througljh bloclis in.)- ill ll, Fir-g. l, and carried thrnce bin"; to a windim: drum 42. This drum 4-2 carries u worm e;e:1 r 4J5 on its shalt. Suitable connection with this gear t"; is had with a hand-wheel. M, by which the inclination, and also the raising and lowering of the ladder,

may be effected from 1ime to time, as required.

The pulleys W d are carried at the outer end of a boom 45, which latter, as usrd in actual practice, is constructed in t e s ape of a triangular frame, which is journaled at the inner end at 46 coaxially with shaft 26, and with the Hat or hm'izontal side of this boom frame provided with rollers 47 running on a circular trackwa) 48. The sidewise motion of the boom, for the purpose of moving" the ladder and buckets to right or left in an arc across the bow of the dredpjcr, is effected by any suitable means. Preferably, as here shown, the inner face of the traelrway l8 carries a seguuental rack it) with which a pinion 50 is adapted to mesh, this pinion being); mounted on a suitalide shaft 51 ournaled on the boom, and the shaft 51 having, worm connections with a shaft 52, which latter is operated by chains 53 running; to a counter-shal't 54 also journaled on the boom, this countershaft being operated by a hand-wheel :35.

The raising and lowering; of the ladder is not entirely effected by the line 38, since the function of the line 38 is rather to var the inclination of the ladder: although it is ordinarily necessary to pa out or wind up the line 38 some when the ladder is raised or lowered. The raising and lowering of the ladder is chiefly effected, and the weight of the ladder supported, by the line 56 which is connected to a drum 57 'inounted on the boom frame and operated by a hand-wheel 58 and suitable worm connections shown;

said line 56 running back around a direction sheave 59, and. thence to the top of the mast 60 and through the sheave blocks G].----G2; the lower sheave block being suitably con nected, as shmvn, with the top of the ladder.

The material which is elevated by the buckets is delivered into the chute or grizzly 10 which has its upper end adjacent to the ladder suitably suspended from the outer end of the radius frame 19, and its lower end pivotally supported at 63 in alinement with the shaft 26. It will thus be seen that this delivery chute 10 is adapted to turn from right to left with the boom, and always maintain the receiving end in uniform relation to the buckets.

of the mast (it) are suitably stayed and braced in any appropriate manner.

in operation, the barge A having been moved to position where it is designed to excavate, is elevated and supported in whole, or in port on th spuds 2, independent of the atcr in which it is located, so that it becomes, in fuel, a stalionnrv platform or sup port and with the corlcmitrators properly le\=- eleil up. liv suitably manipulating the lines It 5 the dredging" buckets are raised or lowered, and adjusted so as to operate closer to or farther from the barge. Power is then transmitted through slurft 21%, chain 36, and suitable coimectioos, as previously described, to operate the dredging buckets. As the dredging proceeds, the luunl-irhee] 55 is manipulated to cause the boom frame to swing gradually to one side and then to the other, as requirint The material which is elevated is dumped o1! to the chute It), and thence delivered over the screens 1] and 12 to the concentrating devices 8; the waste and tailings from the screens passing on to the tailings stacker 13.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim and desire to secure by lietters l ntent is r 1. 111 an excavating and gold-saving appurutus, the combination of a barge, an excavating, apparatus thereon, concentrating apparatus thereon, means for delivering the material to be concentrated from the excavating appa rat us to the concentrating apparatus, and means for leveling up the barge and supporting it independent of the water in which it is moored.

2. In an eizmvating, and gold-saving apparatus, the combination of a barge, an excavating apiaratus thereon, concentrating apparatus thereon, means for delivering the material to be concentratml from the exca-- vating apparatus to the concentrating apparatus, and means for leveling up the barge and supporting it independent of the water in which it is moored, said leveling, means comprising s puds at the corners of the barge, ith means on the barge for raising and lo'o ering the latter on the spuds.

3. In an excavating and goldsaving apparatus, the combination of a barge, an excavating appai atus thereon, concentrating apparatus thereon, means for delivering the nntterial to be concentrated from the excavating apparatus to the concentrating apparatus, and means for leveling up the barge and supporting it independent of the water in which it is moored, said leveling means on the barge comprising spuds at the ends of the barge, said spuds having enlarged ends forming supporting foot members, and rack .and pinion mechanism for raising and lowering the spuds.

4. In a dredging apparatus, the c0mbina l The outer end of the boom 45 and the top tion of a suitable support, a boom pivotally mounted on the support, a ladder and excavating buckets with means connected with the boom for adjustably supporting the lower end of the ladder, a radius frame pivotally supported at one end in axial line with the pivot of the boom and pivotally connected at the outer end with the top of the ladder, and means for transmitting power to operate the buckets.

In a drodgii'ig apparatus, the combination of a suitable support, a boom pivotallv mounted on the support, a ladder and c2;- cavating bucli'ets with means cooiu'ctral with the boom for adjustably supporting); the lower end. of the ladder, a radius frai'nc pivotall supported at one end in axial line with the pivot of the boom and pivotally connected at turnable in a vertical plane in suitable bearthc outer end with the top of the ladder, means for transmitting power to operate the buckets, said support for the boom having a segmental track ay and a segmental rack, the boom having rollers ru n n in g: on the trackway and having a pinion meshing said rash,

dius frame, and means operated from and carried by the boom for raising and lowering the ladder.

In an excavating apparatus, the combination of a suitable support, a boom pivoted thereon, radius frame above the boom and turnable in a crtical plane in suitable bean ings, said hearings mounted on a turn-table which is journaled in axial line with the pivot of the boom, a ladder carried on the outer end of the radius frame, an endless conveyor on the ladder, means for raising and lowering the latter, and means for operating: said endless conveyor.

it In an excavating zniparatus, the combination of a suitable support, a boom pivoted thereon, a radius frame above the boom and 7 mos, said bearings mounted on a turn-table which is journalcd in axial line with the pivot of the boom, a ladder carried on the outer end of the radius frame, an endless conveyor on the ladder, means for raising; and lowering and means for operating the pinion to turn the boom from side to side.

a. An excavating apparatus comprising a suitable sup )ort a boom pivoted on said sup port, said boom comprising;- a frameworh having rollers to run on a tl'iIClIVVHY on the support concei'itric with the pivot of the boom, a segmental rack concmitric with said pivot, mechanism carried by the boom ineluding a pinion to intermesh with said rack for operating the boom back and forth, a radius frame above the boom and having, its inner end pivoted to swing horizontally in. unishaft ournaled in a turn-tab e, which latter son with the boom, and also pivoted to swing in a vertical plane independent of the boom, and a ladder carried at the outer end of said radius frame, and means for raisin g1 an d lowering the ladder.

7. An excavating apparatus comprising a suitable support, a boom pivoted on said support, said boom comprising a framework having rollers to run on a tracliway on the support concentric with the pivot of the boom, a segmental rack concentric with said pivot, mechanism carried by the boom including a pinion to intermesh with said rack for oper ating the boom back and forth, a radius frame above the boom and having its inner vertical plane independent of the boom, and a ladder carried at the outer end of said rathe latter, and driving connections for operating said endless conveyor, said driving conportions for the conveyor including a shaft mounted on the turn-table, a second shaft concentric with said turn-table, and intermeshing gears on said shafts.

10. In a dredging: apparatus, the combination of a barge, a boom pivoted thereon to swing from side to side, a vertically disposed shaft arranged in axial line above the pivot of said boom, said shaft having suitable bearin 's at the lower end. )rovided with suit- 7 b able power connections, t e upper end of the is turnable independently of the shaft, a horizontal shaft journaled in said turn-table, bevel gears connecting said shafts, a radius frame journaled to turn in a vertical plane about said horizontal shaft, a ladder pivot ally connected with the outer end of said radius frame, an endless conveyor on said. ladder, cmmections between said conveyor and said horizontal shaft for operating the conveyer, and connections with operating means on the boom for adjusting the ladder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set in y hand in presence of two subscribing wit- WILLIAM A. HUIGLSDONK. Witnesses W. G. UURRAN, E. E. MANsFIELD. 

